Samrat Indian Cuisine

I've never been here for their lunch menu, so my review is just for their take out menu.

I have been addicted to biryani ever since high school when my friend's mom would cook it for us. When my friend moved away I would constantly look for the rice dish but I was never satisfied until I went here. This place makes amazing biryani. My favorite is the shrimp biryani, (I didn't even know shrimp was an option..I was so excited, it blew my mind) I also love their butter chicken. Some people say it's bland, I think you should try it once and tell them what your preferences are. I think the butter chicken tastes better when they don't add the ground cashews.
The best part about this place is their amazing customer service. They are very attentive about allergies and requests.
I love that they listen to the customer because it's hard getting food that caters to my whole family: my sister is allergic to nuts, my dad can't eat spicy food, and my mom hates chicken and cilantro. We're able to order something that satisfies everyone's taste.

Good but not great. Long wait for food despite only 3 other people in the restaurant early last Tuesday evening. Someone in the back (kitchen?) started a coughing fit (like bronchitis or pneumonia) shorty after I had ordered. I considered telling the waiter that I was leaving but he was with a takeout customer. The coughing finally stopped, they turned on music, I didn't hear any more coughing, and I got over the nervousness about the possibility of someone very ill preparing my food. I didn't get sick. Waiter/maître d' was very nice. I especially enjoyed the tea (chai), great on a very cold night. Not fair to compare to Rasika because it's more expensive, but so far the Indian places I've tried in Northern VA have made me wish I'd gone to Rasika instead. If I'm out in this area and hungry, I might go again, but I would not drive the 20-mile roundtrip just to go here. If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd probably go occasionally. I guess the people talking about the blandness are referring to the buffet. I was there for dinner (no buffet) and the waiter asked me, on a scale of 1 to 5, how spicy I wanted each dish. Not an exact science, especially for my first time there, but I picked 3 and was pleased with the outcome (flavorful but not very peppery hot). I really liked the green pepper in the chicken tikka masala. It seems strange, but the three Northern VA Indian restaurants I've tried are not good as the Indian restaurants I frequented in Boston, MA and Mystic, CT. However, Samrat is MUCH better than the two Indian restaurants that I've tried in Arlington.

LOVE-THIS-PLACE!!  Samrat is awesome. Located in a small strip mall next to Red Hot and Blue in Kingstowne, it is very unassuming but well worth the visit.  We have had plenty off the menu but the tandoori salmon and the chicken biryani are outstanding. Oh and the chicken tikka masala, and the naan. The waitstaff is exactly one guy and he is professional attentive and friendly. If you like Indian food or if you haven't taken the plunge yet Samrat is the place to go in NoVa!!